Trigger mechanism



April 4, 1961 M. J. REUWER EI'AL 2,977,852

TRIGGER MECHANISM Filed Oct. 6' 9 S m r T e 9 N w w wh J m n M3 k ,4 Z k A TORNE 1 2,977,852 Patented Apr. 4, 1961 TRIGGER Milton J. Reuwer, Baltimore, and Bernhard Rogge, Baldwrn, Md., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army The invention described herein may bemanufactured andused by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon. 1

This invention relates to a trigger mechanism intended primarily for use with a one-shot flamethrower.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is longitudinal sectional view of the trigger mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-'2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1, with part broken away. 7

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55, Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a flamethrower embodying the trigger mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a section on the plane 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 1 shows a housing 1 having a threaded fitting 3 at one end and a secured extension tube 5 at the opposite end. The firing pin 7, having an annular shoulder 9, is surrounded by a compression spring 11. The spring at one end is held in place by the annular shoulder 9 and at the other end it is abutted against an annular shoulder 13 formed on housing 1. The forward travel of the firing pin is limited by the annular shoulder 17.

The rear end of the firing pin, has fastened on it an extension bar 19, which is penetrated by a hole 21 and carries a book 23 at its end. The extension bar overlaps a slidable channel shaped release bar 25, formed with a depression in which a hole 27 is located. The latch 28 having a camming surface 29 and ratchet teeth 30 is pivoted on pin 31 and operates under the influence of the spring 33 and the cam roller 35 which is secured to the slidable release bar 25.

The recovery assembly 37 comprises a guide rod 39, contact block 41 which is slidable on rod 39 and which penetrates releasing bar 25, and the centralizing springs 43 and-45. The operation of this assembly as well as the rest of our invention will be later described.

The upper portion of the housing 1 contains a slidable locking pin 47 through which passes a cotter pin 49, while at the lower portion, the locking pin has a slot 51 which engages cocking link 53, the latter being pivotally secured by pin 55. Pin 47 terminates in a point 56 which engages the extension bar 19 and the release bar 25. The trigger housing is closed off at the bottom by gasket 57, cover 59 and the screws 61.

A typical view and a section of a one-shot flamethrower embodying our trigger mechanism are shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. The brief operation of said flam thrower is as follows.

The U-shaped tank 63 which is filled with a conventional fuel for fiamethrowers, encloses a ball (not shown) of a diameter such that it fits tightly inside the tank.

The ball is initially positioned at 65. When the pyrotechnic propellant 67 is ignited by the trigger mechanism (1, 3, 5, 25, 47) the hot gases are directed through con- Q U aired v rates, Paren nection 73 into the tank 63 to drive the ball forward and around the 180 bend 75 toward nozzle 71.

The fuel, which shoots out through the nozzle 71, is ignited by suitable igniting means (not shown).v

Trigger mechanism operation Fig. 1 shows the trigger mechanism in cocked position. The operation of said trigger mechanism will be described from the uncooked position, starting with the locking pin 47 in the uppermost position, designated by the phantom line, and with the cotter pin 49 removed.

The operator pushes down locking pin 47. In doing so, it will force down in the slot 51 one end of the link 53, the link rotating about pin 55. While the point 56 of the locking pin engages through holes 21, 27, respectively, the extension bar 19 and the release bar 25, the other end of the link, making contact with hook 23, pushes said hook past the ratchet teeth 29, compressing spring 11, until the last notch finally drops onto the hook.

The latch 28 being pivoted on pin 31 and being under constant tension under the influence of spring 33, now produces full engagement, holding spring 11 under desired firing load. The pin 47 safeties the entire mechanism by locking together members 19 and 25 by means of the point 56 and preventing movement of either.

With the locking pin 47 all the way down, the cotter pin 49 now can be inserted for shipping purposes.

To fire or uncock the trigger mechanism, first, the cotter pin 49 is removed, and the locking pin 47 is pulled up until the link 53 strikes the inside surface of the housing 1 as shown by the phantom lines. These operations will put the mechanism into firing position. The release bar 25, which slides in the guide tube 5, is either pushed or pulled. This pushing or pulling motion of the release bar in turn moves the roller cam 35 against the camming surface 29 of the latch 28, thereby causing a displacement of the latter in an upward direction and as a result of this, disengaging it from hook 23 which is integral with the firing pin.

The firing pin 7 is now free and is at once propelled forward under the action of spring 11.

To return the cam roller 35 to its natural position, the contact block 41 of the recovery assembly 37 being constantly in engagement with the cam roller 35, the spring 43 and 45 which are alternately brought under compressive loads force the cam roller back to its original position when the release bar 25 is released.

One of the advantages of this invention is that, if the hand should slip accidentally when cooking the mechanism, firing could not take place due to the ratchet engagement. The trigger can be quickly and easily recocked, when misfire occurs, and at the same time brought back to safety. Another advantage of this mechanism over similar types is that component parts do not have to be of a critical nature and can be made to wide tolerances, thus keeping cost down and permitting mass production. Shock loads and accidental droppings of the trigger mechanism will not release it nor will the mechanism operate if any of the internal springs should fail.

Having thus described this form of our invention, we wish it to be understood that various other changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

What we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1s:

1. A trigger mechanism comprising a casing, a firing pin slidably mounted in said casing, said firing pin having a shoulder thereon and an extension. bar extending rearwardly of the firing pin having a hook at the end thereof,

a firing pin spring compressed between said casing and said-shoulder and adapted to drive said firingpin forward, said hook extending substantially at right angles to said firing pin, an opening through said extension bar, a locking pinslidably mounted in said casing and having its axis, substantially at right angles to the axis'of said firing pin and having one end positioned to enter said opening when the firing pin is in its cocked position and the locking pin is in its safe position, a cocking link pivotally mounted in said casing and having a first leg engaging said locking pin and a second leg positioned to engage said hook, said link being so positioned that when said locking pin is pushed to its safeposition, said cocking link will push against said hook and retract said firing pin against the force of said firing pin spring to its cocked position, latch means adapted to engage said firing pin and hold it in said cocked position, and manually operated firing means adapted to release saidlatch means.

2. A trigger mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said latch means comprises a pivoted, toothed, ratchet plate engaging said hook and said firing means comprises a cam adapted to engage said ratchet plate and disengage it from said hook.

3. A trigger mechanism comprising a housing, a firing pin longitudinally slidably mounted in said housing, said filing pin having a shoulder thereon, a firing pin spring compressed between said housing and said shoulder and adapted to drive said firing pin forward, said firing pin comprising an extension bar extending rearwardly therefrom and comprising a hook extending at right angles to 4 said firing pin; a pivoted latch comprising ratchet teeth positioned to engage said hook and hold said firing pin in a cocked position against the action of said firing pin spring; firing means for releasing said latch from said hook comprising a release bar manually slidably mounted in said casing in parallel, overlapping relationship with said extension bar and cam means on said bar adapted to contact said latch'and move said latch means out of engagement with said hook when said release bar is moved longitudinally; openings extending through said extension bar and said release bar, respectively, said openings being so positioned as to be in alignment with each other when said firing pin is in a cocked position, a locking pin slidably mounted in said casing at right angles to said firing pin and having manual actuating means positioned exteriorly of said casing, said pin being so positioned as to be in alignment with said openings, when said firing pin is in its cocked position; a cocking link pivotally mounted within said casing, said link having one end in engagement with said locking pin and another end so positioned as to engage said hook and push said firing pin rearwardly to its cocked position when said safety pin is pushed toward its safe position in which it passes through said openings in said extension bar and said release bar.

Locbhead Jan. 27, 1953 Laager Sept. 8, 1959 "I i i l 

